A two-branch estate agency in South London was missing 31% of inbound calls during its busiest periods - 9am to 10am, 12pm to 1pm, and 5pm to 7pm - when staff were with clients, on viewings, or handling face-to-face enquiries in branch. In the 60 days following deployment of Softomate's AI receptionist, call capture reached 97%, monthly viewings booked increased by 25%, and the agency's Rightmove lead response time dropped from an average of 43 minutes to under 4 minutes. Estimated additional monthly revenue from the additional viewings: £3,600 in viewing fees and an estimated £28,000 in additional pipeline value.
The agency manages two branches in South London with a combined team of 11 negotiators and 3 support staff. Monthly activity: approximately 320 property viewings arranged, 85 new instruction valuations, and 1,200 to 1,400 inbound calls across both branches combined. The agency uses Reapit as its CRM and has active listings on Rightmove, Zoopla, and OnTheMarket.
Call volume analysis before deployment identified the peak-hour missed call problem clearly: the agency answered 69% of calls on average, but that average concealed significant variation by time of day. Between 9am and 10am (post-commute activity peak), the answer rate was 48%. Between 12pm and 1pm (lunch period), 52%. Between 5pm and 7pm (after-work active search period), 54%. These three periods accounted for 38% of total call volume and over 60% of new prospective buyer and seller enquiries - the highest-value call type.
The branch managers had identified this as a staffing problem and considered hiring an additional negotiator to cover peak periods. The hiring cost (salary, on-costs, recruitment) was estimated at £28,000 to £32,000 per year. A more cost-effective solution was required.
Softomate configured an AI receptionist across both branch phone numbers with a unified call handling system. Configuration covered six call categories relevant to estate agency: prospective buyer enquiries about listed properties, vendor enquiries (both existing clients and new valuation requests), letting enquiries (both landlord and tenant), viewing appointment requests and confirmations, general admin calls (chains, solicitor queries, mortgage broker requests), and out-of-hours emergency maintenance calls (for the letting side of the business).
The Rightmove and Zoopla lead integration was the most operationally significant element. Both platforms send portal enquiries as email leads with a response-time indicator visible to prospective buyers - Rightmove shows buyers how quickly an agent typically responds. The AI was configured to call back portal enquiries automatically within 3 minutes of receipt, using the enquiry information to open a qualified conversation: "I am calling from [Agency] about the property on [Street Name] - are you free to talk?" This reduced average first-contact time from 43 minutes to under 4 minutes across both platforms.
Viewing appointment booking was integrated directly with Reapit: the AI checked viewing availability in real time against the negotiator schedule and confirmed appointments without requiring human involvement. Booking confirmations were sent automatically via SMS to both buyer and vendor or landlord.
Deploying across two branches introduced a configuration consideration that a single-branch deployment would not face: call routing between branches. Calls to the main Battersea number that the Battersea team was too busy to answer were routed to the AI. Calls to the Balham branch followed the same logic. The AI needed to know which branch the call was for, which negotiator handled which properties, and how to route calls between branches when a specific negotiator was required at the other site.
The two-branch configuration was completed in 12 working days - two days longer than a typical single-site deployment. The additional time was spent mapping the cross-branch routing logic and testing edge cases (a buyer calling the Balham number to enquire about a Battersea listing handled by a specific negotiator). From day thirteen, the system operated autonomously across both branches.
Staff briefing at both branches took one hour. Negotiators were shown how to access call transcripts and new enquiry notifications on their mobile phones. The transition was smooth - the AI handles calls the same way a well-trained receptionist would handle them, and negotiators reported that the leads arriving from AI-handled calls were better qualified than leads from missed calls returned hours later.
| Metric | Before (60-day baseline) | After (60-day AI period) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inbound call answer rate | 69% | 97% | +41% relative |
| Portal lead first response time | 43 min average | 3.8 min average | -91% |
| Monthly viewings booked | 320 | 400 | +25% |
| New instruction valuations | 85 | 97 | +14% |
| After-hours enquiries captured | 11 (voicemails) | 67 | +509% |
| Monthly AI subscription cost | - | £349 | - |
| Estimated additional monthly revenue | - | +£3,600 (direct fees) | - |
The 25% increase in monthly viewings (from 320 to 400) was the result of two compounding improvements: more calls answered (fewer missed buyer enquiries) and faster portal lead response (converting enquiries that would previously have gone cold before first contact). The viewing increase also drove a 14% increase in new instruction valuations - more viewings means more buyers who eventually sell, and buyers who have a positive experience with the agency's responsiveness are significantly more likely to use them when they come to sell.
The most dramatic individual metric was after-hours enquiry capture. Before deployment, calls outside 8:30am to 6pm on weekdays and 9am to 4pm on Saturdays went to an answerphone. The agency received an average of 11 voicemails per month from this period - a proxy for after-hours demand, though almost certainly an undercount since many callers do not leave voicemails. After deployment, the AI handled 67 after-hours calls in the first 60-day period: 31 were new property enquiries, 18 were viewing requests for the following day or weekend, 11 were tenant maintenance requests, and 7 were other admin.
The 31 after-hours property enquiries are the most significant category. These are active buyers and potential vendors who could not call during business hours - professionals, landlords reviewing their portfolio in the evening, buyers comparing properties on a Sunday. Each of these enquiries represents a potential viewing and, ultimately, a potential transaction. At an average residential sale value of £350,000 and a typical selling fee of 1.2% plus VAT, each additional sale generates £4,200 in gross commission. Even converting 2 of the 31 monthly after-hours enquiries to eventual sales represents £8,400 in additional monthly commission pipeline.
The branch manager described the deployment decision as straightforward once the call-capture data was analysed. "We knew we were missing calls - we just hadn't quantified it. When Softomate ran the analysis and showed us we were missing 31% of inbound during peak hours, and that those were mostly prospective buyers and vendors, the business case was obvious. We were considering hiring another negotiator. The AI costs £349 per month compared with £28,000 per year for a new hire, and it handles calls 24/7 including evenings and weekends."
AI receptionist pricing for estate agencies starts at £299 per month from Softomate, covering up to 500 calls monthly. The two-branch agency in this case study paid £349 per month for the two-number configuration. For full information on AI receptionist services for estate agents, see AI receptionist for UK estate agents, AI receptionist for letting agents, and the complete AI receptionist guide for UK businesses.
The portal lead response time improvement from 43 minutes to 3.8 minutes requires context to understand its full revenue significance. Rightmove's own research (published 2024) found that buyers who receive a response within 5 minutes of submitting a portal enquiry are 3.2x more likely to book a viewing than buyers who wait 60 minutes or more. The agency's data confirmed this pattern: in the 60 days after deployment, buyers who received an AI call-back within 5 minutes converted to viewings at a 64% rate; buyers whose enquiries had waited more than 30 minutes before the AI deployment converted at a 27% rate.
The mechanism is straightforward: a buyer on Rightmove on a Tuesday evening submitting enquiries about three properties is likely to book viewings with whichever agents respond first. The buyer does not loyally wait for each agent to respond in turn - they accept the first viewing slot that fits and de-prioritise the others. The agency's 43-minute average response time meant they were losing portal leads to faster-responding competitors while their phones were busy. The AI's 3.8-minute call-back changes this competitive dynamic entirely.
The improvement in valuation instruction volume (from 85 to 97 per month, a 14% increase) is partly attributable to the same dynamic from the vendor side. Vendors requesting valuations via the agency's website, Rightmove vendor services, or direct calls experience the same prompt, professional response whether they call at 6pm on a Thursday or 9am on a Monday. Vendors who call multiple agents to compare responsiveness consistently report that the agency that responds fastest and most professionally is significantly more likely to win the instruction.
The negotiator team's response to the AI receptionist was largely positive, though the initial reaction from some team members was cautious. Experienced negotiators were concerned that the AI would handle conversations they had built relationships around - specifically, the early contact with buyers who called in about a property. The deployment configuration addressed this directly: the AI's role was to capture and qualify the enquiry, not to build the relationship. The negotiator received a transcript and a warm lead, not a cold caller. The AI reduced the number of interruptions negotiators experienced during viewings and client meetings; it did not reduce the number of meaningful buyer interactions.
A measurable staff impact was reduction in the volume of calls negotiators needed to return at the end of the day. Before deployment, each negotiator averaged 14 to 18 missed calls per day requiring a returned call in the evening or the following morning. After deployment, the AI handled the majority of these: property information was provided, viewing requests were booked, and routine queries were resolved without the negotiator's involvement. Negotiators now returned 2 to 4 calls per day rather than 14 to 18 - a significant reduction in after-hours work that several team members noted directly in their performance review conversations.
The branch manager also noted that the AI resolved the long-standing problem of Saturday afternoon call handling. Both branches close at 4pm on Saturdays. Weekend afternoon calls - some of the most engaged buyer enquiries in the property market - previously went to voicemail. With the AI operating continuously, Saturday afternoon calls are handled at the same quality as weekday morning calls. The branch attributed 11 of the 80 additional monthly viewings in the first 60-day period directly to Saturday afternoon AI-captured enquiries.
The South London residential market is served by approximately 40 to 60 estate agency branches across the area where the agency operates. Competition for instructions and buyer relationships is intense: vendors and buyers have genuine choice, and brand differentiation on service quality is a meaningful competitive factor. The AI receptionist gave the agency a specific, demonstrable competitive advantage: a response time that no human-staffed competitor could match consistently.
The branch manager documented this advantage explicitly in the agency's new instruction pitch materials, updated in month two of the deployment. The presentation shows two data points: average response time before (43 minutes) and after (3.8 minutes), with a comparison against the estimated industry average (Rightmove data suggests the UK estate agency average first response time is 28 minutes). The message to vendors is clear: this agency responds faster than average and faster than any competitor that relies on staff availability to answer calls. Vendors who care about how quickly their property is serviced - and many of them do - find this a compelling differentiator.
In the 12 months since deployment, the agency has won seven instructions directly attributed by the vendor to the response speed demonstration in the pitch meeting. At an average gross commission of £4,200 per residential sale, those seven instructions represent a potential £29,400 in gross commission from a £349 per month subscription - assuming average market conditions and a normal sale completion rate. The compounding effect of competitive differentiation is the most difficult element of AI receptionist ROI to quantify in advance but among the most significant in practice.
Twelve months after deployment, the agency's results remain above the pre-deployment baseline. Monthly viewings have settled at 390 to 410 (from a baseline of 320) - a sustained 22 to 28% improvement rather than a one-off spike. The AI continues to operate without any material changes to its configuration. The Reapit integration receives automatic updates when the agency adds new negotiators or adjusts availability schedules, handled by the Reapit admin team with Softomate's integration layer updating automatically.
The agency added a third branch in month nine, and the AI receptionist was extended to the new branch within 5 working days of the branch opening. No additional subscription cost was incurred for the third branch under the agency's multi-site agreement with Softomate, which covers up to four branch numbers on the existing plan. The branch manager described the deployment as now forming a core part of the agency's operational model rather than a technology experiment: "It's just how we handle calls now. We couldn't go back to missing 31% of our inbound."
The ROI calculation for an estate agency AI receptionist has three components measurable over different time horizons. Component one is the direct viewing increase, measurable within 60 days: the agency gained 80 additional monthly viewings. At a 23% viewing-to-offer conversion rate and 65% sale-through rate, that represents approximately 12 additional completed sales per month in steady state - £50,400 in additional gross commission at £4,200 average per sale.
Component two is the instruction increase, measurable over 3 to 6 months: the 14% increase in monthly valuation instructions (from 85 to 97). At a 58% instruction-to-sale rate and £4,200 average gross commission, the 12 additional monthly instructions represent a pipeline of £29,232 per month at full realisation.
Component three is competitive positioning, measurable over 12 months: the seven instructions won directly because of the speed differentiation demonstrated in pitch meetings. These instructions were not possible before the AI - demonstrating a 3.8-minute average response time requires an always-on system. Each instruction won on competitive grounds represents a client relationship that compounds over time as satisfied vendors refer family and friends.
The combined ROI picture against a £349 per month subscription is substantial. Even at conservative conversion assumptions, the 12-month return is 80x to 120x the subscription cost. The estate agency sector produces the highest AI receptionist ROI of any sector Softomate serves because each transaction generates thousands in commission and every missed call is potentially a missed instruction. For the full framework, see AI receptionist ROI calculator for UK businesses and AI receptionist for UK estate agents.
For estate agents considering a deployment, Softomate offers a free missed-call analysis using the agency call data: total call volume, hours of peak traffic, estimated unanswered calls per period, and a revenue recovery estimate based on the agency fee structure. This analysis is completed in 5 working days using a call log extract from the existing phone system. It typically produces a more precise ROI estimate than a general industry benchmark because it uses the agency actual call patterns rather than average figures. The 14-day free trial runs on a parallel number - the main branch numbers remain unchanged throughout. See AI receptionist for UK estate agents for full service information and next steps.
Estate agents with Rightmove Plus or Featured Agent subscriptions will find that the AI receptionist compounds the value of these premium placements: more leads are captured and responded to faster, improving the conversion rate on the premium-placement traffic that Rightmove Plus generates. The agency in this case study held a Rightmove Featured Agent subscription throughout the deployment period and noted that the portal lead conversion improvement was proportionally highest on Featured Agent leads, which arrive in higher volume and with stronger buyer intent than standard listing enquiries.
Monthly viewings booked increased from 320 to 400 - a 25% increase in 60 days. The improvement came from two sources: higher call answer rate (from 69% to 97%) meaning fewer missed buyer enquiries, and faster portal lead response (from 43 minutes to under 4 minutes) converting more Rightmove and Zoopla enquiries before they approached other agents.
Softomate configures the AI to receive portal enquiry notifications (sent as emails by both platforms) and call back the enquiring buyer within 3 minutes. The AI uses the property address and enquiry details from the email to open a qualified conversation. Portal call-backs are logged in the CRM against the specific listing. The agency's average Rightmove response time dropped from 43 minutes to 3.8 minutes after deployment.
Softomate integrates with Reapit, Jupix, Alto, Dezrez, Street.co.uk, and most major UK estate agency CRM systems. Call logs, new enquiry records, and viewing bookings sync to the CRM in real time. Negotiators receive an alert on their mobile phone when a new enquiry is captured or a viewing is booked by the AI, with the full call transcript attached.
Yes. The AI is configured with routing rules covering both sales and lettings enquiry types. Prospective tenant calls are handled with a different script from prospective buyer calls. Landlord enquiries about new instructions are routed to the lettings team. Maintenance and repair calls from tenants are handled with the appropriate urgency routing depending on the reported issue.
The two-branch deployment was completed in 12 working days - two days longer than a single-site deployment due to the cross-branch call routing configuration. From day thirteen, the system operated fully autonomously. Staff briefing at both branches took one hour. The agency was capturing and converting after-hours enquiries from day one of live operation.
We protect the real names of all clients featured in examples and case studies. Every testimonial is from a real client.
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